Sunday, July 1, 2012

HOTAN HIJACKING BID INDICATES LAX AIRPORT SECURITY IN CHINA

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM MONITOR: PAPER NO.753

B.RAMAN

More details have become available of the
unsuccessful attempt to hijack a plane flying from Hotan to Urumqi in Xinjiang
by six Uighurs last Friday (June 29,2012). These details have been gathered
from two official accounts carriedby
the Chinese Communist Party owned “Global Times” and from accounts disseminated
by Chinese micro-bloggers. One of the micro-bloggers has claimed that one of
his relatives was on board the flight and carried pictures of one of the hijackers
being overpowered.

2. The details available so far indicate that the
hijackers used a crutch, normally used by physically-handicapped persons, and
explosives to seize control of the plane 10 minutes after it had taken off from
the Hotan airport. It is not clear whether one of the hijackers was really a
physically-handicapped person or posed as one in order to carry the crutch on
board.

3. It is also not clear how they managed to evade
security checks and carry the explosives on board and where they had concealed
the explosives. After the attempt, the Ministry of Public Security, which is in
charge of internal security, has asked all airport security personnel to make
passengers remove their shoes and belts
and check them for explosives.

4. Another point that is not clear is whether the
hijackers managed to cause an explosion on board. The “Global Times” account
says that two of the hijackers died in hospital and two others. “who reportedly
mutilated themselves”, are being treated in hospital. This would indicate that
there was probably an attempt to activate an explosive device before the
hijackers were overpowered.

5. According to the “Global Times”, the six
hijackers, who were between 20 and 36 years of age, were from the city of
Kashi, Hou Hanmin. It quoted some passengers as saying that the men were
quickly subdued as they tried to break into the airplane's cockpit with a
crutch, and their attempt to ignite explosives was foiled. The flight had 92
passengers and nine crew members, 10 of whom were injured. The passengers
included six police officers. ( 2-7-12)